Dadang Kurnia, Bambang Noroyono – The sensitive LGBT issue has become a political hot potato following a statement by People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2/2017 (Perppu Ormas) has finally been passed into law by the House of Representatives (DPR) during a plenary session at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday October 24.

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – The government has issued Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/2017 on Social Organisations. It has already been received by the House of Representatives (DPR) and will be deliberated at the next sitting of the House.

Arbi Sumandoyo – “Jakarta is filthy. We have to be macho. Jakarta is filthy. It must be cleaned up... must be cleaned up”, shouted a speaker through a loudspeaker from a command vehicle on May Day in front of the Jakarta City Hall.

“So make a pile. All in one place. We’ll clean the City Hall of these unclear messages...”

Jakarta – Scores of demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday May 20 calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to abdicate from his throne.

Atmi Pertiwi, Jakarta – US investigative journalist Allen Nairn has spoken out about Indonesia’s two presidential candidates. Although he has a negative opinion of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, his views about presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are not necessarily positive either.

Jakarta – A 10-year old boy, Markus Yernirkolaus, suddenly appeared in the middle of a Kamisan (Thursday Action) and gave a speech about human rights violations by presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Rio Kuswandi, Jakarta – Former army Special Forces (Kopassus) commander Prabowo Subianto is being urged to give an immediate clarification on the abduction of 13 activists abducted in 1997/98 that are still missing to this day.

Sherr Rinn – Between 2010-12 there was an awakening of the Indonesian labour movement that can be seen in the writings of people such as Danial Indrakusuma, Rahmat, Tarikh, Hidayah and Rekomendasi.

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Haris Ashar says that the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) should issue a list of 2014 presidential (capres) and legislative (caleg) candidates that have committed crimes against humanity.

Man (holding forged document): You’re the chicken thief!

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The National Republic Party (Partai Nasrep) has registered itself with the Department of Justice and Human Rights (Kemenkum HAM).

M Hernowo and Anita Yossihara – The Joint Secretariat (Setgab) of political parties supporting the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. This was one of the important political “breakthroughs” in 2010, and the controversy surrounding it has continued to this day.

M Zaid Wahyudi – The growing number of ordinary people’s votes that are needlessly lost is a direct consequence of the application of an increasingly higher parliamentary threshold.

Kurniasih Budi, Jakarta – A group of workers who have declared themselves as a voluntary team to support Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto believe that Kalla’s performance has been better than the other presidential candidates.

Novia Chandra Dewi, Jakarta – The 2009 legislative and presidential elections are within sight. Thirty eight national political parties are registered to contest to fight for the people’s votes. But it is estimated that only 10 parties will end up with seats in Senayan (the House of Representatives).

Yogyakarta – Hundreds of students and non-government organisation activists in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta took to the streets on December 10 to commemorate Human Rights Day.

Oppose the 2009 elections of the political elite – an election of the human rights violators, capitalists, corruptors and opportunist!

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Government opposition figures gathered at the Century Park Hotel in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta on Saturday July 5 to discuss the problems of the nation, which may possibly become an arena of lobbying by the political elite in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

Susie Berindra and Sidik Ramono – The government wants to strengthen the presidential system by simplifying the multi-party system. The big political parties want to have businesses to increase party funds. The new political parties want to take part in the 2009 general elections. What should be done to bridge all of these wishes?